Academic libraries of universities
Since they procure, prepare, archive and provide a variety of media forms and information, publicly accessible academic libraries are, in fact, facilities for research, teaching and training not only for their sponsoring institutions but also in the local and regional scenario.
The front-runner of academic libraries in Saxony is the Saxon State and University Library Dresden (SLUB). On the basis of the law passed by the Saxon State Parliament on 15th June 1995, it was established in 1996 by merging the former Saxon State Library and the former University Library of the TU Dresden. In addition to performing university tasks, it is also responsible for fulfilling state-wide tasks required for providing literature and information, maintaining inventory and providing central library services since it is also the state library. Its predecessor institution, the “Saxon State Library”, emerged from the Prince’s Library founded in 1556 by Prince-Elector Augustus. The other predecessor institution, the “University Library of the TU Dresden” was founded in 1828 when the Technische Bildungsanstalt (Technical Education Institute), the current technical university, was founded.
As the second-oldest university library in Germany and the second-largest academic library in Saxony, the Leipzig University Library can look back on a history of over 450 years.
The University Library at Chemnitz University of Technology is the third-largest university library in Saxony. It was founded in 1836 as the “Königliche Gewerbeschule Chemnitz (Royal Mercantile College)”, the predecessor of today’s university of technology.
The university library “Georgius Agricola” of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg was founded when the Bergakademie was established in 1765.
Almost all libraries of the five technical colleges founded in 1992 were also founded much earlier along with the predecessor institutions, some of them as early as in the 19th century. These are libraries in Dresden, Leipzig, Mittweida, Zwickau and Zittau. Libraries of the universities of fine arts and music in Leipzig and Dresden can also look back on a long tradition.
For more information, visit www.kulturland.sachsen.de and the online portals:
